Space station/satellite question

[TechnicalK3rbal]

I just started playing kerbal space program, and I was wondering, if I make a space station and pit more weight far out on one side, will that side tend to face towards kerbin or whatever I'm orbiting at the time? I'm sorry I explained this horribly, but if you understand what I mean or know the answer, please comment!

Edited October 15, 2013 by TechnicalK3rbal

[HeadHunter67]

It shouldn't make a difference, except when under thrust. While in unpowered orbit, the craft is in free-fall - and of course, the effects of a body's gravity on different masses is insignificant on the scale of a spacecraft.

[KvickFlygarn87]

Nope, virtually no gravity in space.

[DerekL1963]

While in unpowered orbit, the craft is in free-fall - and of course, the effects of a body's gravity on different masses is insignificant on the scale of a spacecraft.

Um, no. IRL, this is a significant effect and can be used for spacecraft stabilization and orientation (see Gravity Gradient Stabilization). I do not believe this is modeled in KSP however.

[Scarecrow88]

Nope, virtually no gravity in space.

If there's no gravity in space, why does everything travel in a curved line, and what stops all those planets and moons whizzing off to the outer edges of the universe?

[lajoswinkler]

Nope, virtually no gravity in space.

It's quite hard to accept posts such as this when they occur at KSP forums.

[HeadHunter67]

There's gravity in space, of course. But the "heavy end" of a ship doesn't fall measurably faster than the other to any significant degree (feel free to do the math on the difference in gravitational acceleration of, say, 500 tons at 100km from Kerbin's surface as compared to 50 tons). Tidal stabilization might affect it - but only if that weight was pretty far off to one end (and I'm still unsure it would work in KSP). Again, plug those lengths into the inverse-square law and tell me how far apart those masses would have to be from the moment of inertia, for there to be a measurable difference.

[Starwhip]

No, mass in space does not affect planetary orbit. You will always rotate 360 degrees every full orbit.

[Shrike42]

So, you can orient the station's docking ports from north to south, and this will let you have an easier approach as you won't have to worry about station rotation. To put it another way, it's the difference between trying to touch the end of a meter/yardstick spinning about the middle of it's long axis (1' 6" or 50cm) versus trying the same thing when it's spinning on its end.

Of course, if this is a polar orbit, then you want to orient your docking ports due east or west.

But to the question, mass in space (in KSP) only matters when you are trying to move it around.

[HeadHunter67]

Well-said.

[KvickFlygarn87]

Nope, virtually no gravity in space.

Okay, that was a stupid way to put it, there is gravity in space. But your speed cancels out gravity, sort of.

That was also a stupid way to put it, but it was better than my first post.

[TechnicalK3rbal]

Ok, thanks everyone for the answers, and how do I change the thread name to answered?